Chicken-feeder.



No. 891,534. ummm) JUN; gs, 190s.,

G. LGIB'SON. GHIGKBN FEEDER.

APPLIQATION FILED APnLao. 1901.

,wit-1 n com s ous changes in the form, proportion, size andy construction, wit-hin the ing the chickens a day,

iArENT o'EEioE.y

GEORGE EMERY GIBSON, OF JEFFERSON, IOWA.

CHICKEN-FEEDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 23, 1908.

Application filed April 30, 1907. `Serial No. 371,142.-

To all whom it may concer-n.' K

Be. it known that I, GEORGE EGIBSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jefferson, in the county of Greene and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Chicken- Feeder, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in chicken feeders.

The object `of'the present invention is to iinprove theconstruction of chick-en feeders, and to provide a simple, inexpensive and etlicient device, adapted to lessen the labor of feeding chickens and other fowls, and capable of being easily operated by the chickens, and of scattering among straw or other rubbish a quantity of feed. each time it is operated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a chicken feeding device. of this character, adapted to afford the exercise necessary to a maximum production of eggs.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in -the accompanying drawing', and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that vari` minor details of scope of the claims, be resorted to without departing from t e spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing:-Figure 1 is a side elevation of a chicken feeding device, shown a plied to a 1poultry house, the latter being in section. ig. l is a perspective view of the chicken feeding device. lligQS is an enlarged 'vertical sectional view of the same.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawin 1 designatesa feed hopper, constructed of wood, or other suitable material and de` signed to vbe of a capacity to correspond to the 'number of chickens, or other fowls to be lcd.

In practice the deviceiis designed to be of sufficient size to hold. enough feed for su iplyso that it will only be necessary for the attendant to fill the hopper once a day, but the feed hopper may be to hold either a large er small quantity of feed. The hopper is provided with inclined sides'l and an inclined front 3, and it has a vertical back'or rear Wall 4, which is exmade' tended vertically above the upper edges of the side and front walls. The extended por- `tion 5 of the rear wall 4 is secured to one of the rafters 6 of a scratching shed 7 of a poultry house 8. The hopper is designed to be arranged close to the top or roof of -the scratching shed, but it may be mounted in any other desired manner. It is preferably supported by an inclined brace 9, extending from the lower portion of the rear wall of the hopper to the roof of the scratching shed. The front wall 3 of the hopper is provided with a discharge opening 10, and the feed is directedl toward the said opening by an inclined bottoni -section or member l1, extend'- ing from the rear wall to the lower edge of the front wall, as clearly illustrated .in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

The size of the discharge opening l() is controlled by a slide l2, constructed of sheet metal, or other suitable material and guided in suitable ways 13 at the inner face of the front wall 3 of the hopper and connected to the lower end of an operating rod 14. The

hopper and the slide is adapted to be raised or lowered to cover or uncover the discharge open/ing 'l 0, and it will enable the flow of the granito be controlled and entirely cut oil' when desired. The hopper is also provided on the exterior of its front wall with a guide 15, in Which reciprocat'es a sliding door or cutoff' i6, arranged to move upwardly and downwardly to cover and uncover the feed'open' ing to permit a quantity of the contents of t e hopper to be discharged, when it is reciprocated. The guide. preferably consists of al plateof sheet meta?,y secured to the ho per and Yhaving its longitudinal edges bent to orinl inwardly extending guiding flanges, 4which overla the side edgesof'the. slidable'cut-oi'l 16. 'lhe guide is pro rided with an opening to register with thedidcharge opening of the hoppen-arid the slidinr cut-off `has 'an opening I7 adapted, when the cut-oil is moved downwardly, to register with the opening of the hopper to tents of the latter. The lower the sliding cut-oil' forms a closure for the hopper, when the cut-ofi` is'at the limit of its upl ward movement. n

The upper Vend of the sidable cut-ofi is provided witht spaced eyes 18, and is connected with the ower end of a link 19 bv a pivot or pintle 20.' 'l9'is pivoted by a pin or'rivct 2lA to one arm operating rod extends above the top of the Y lhe upper end of' the link' permit a discharge of the conend portion of of a substantially L-shaped or bell crank 'le-` ver 22. Thebell crank lever Z2 is fulcrumed atits angle between cars or flanges 23 of a ofi' is reciproca-ted.

bearing bracket 24, andI it is composed of a lower outwardly extending arm and ,an upwardly extending arm. The lower ontwardly extending arm is provided at an intermediate point with a sl it 25 to receive the -u )per end of the link 1t), and the pivot 26 of thev lever pierces the same and the ears or flanges '23 of the bearing bracket. Vhen the bell crank lever isv oscillated, the slidable cut- The upwardly extending'arm of thel bell crank levery is 4connected by a cord 27, or other flexible connection with a vertical shaft 28, which is journaled in suitablebearings at the top and bottom of the hopper'. rl`he feed hopper isprovidcd with a top section 29, ex-

ten 1n(r from one side of tie vhopper to a oint slightly beyond the center thereof, and `raving a metallic bearing date vSofor the reception'of the upper, portidn of the shaft.

The hopper is also provided at the bottom,

with a metallic plate31,'throi 1gh which the lower ortion of the shaft passes. The verticalsffaft may, however, be mounted in any other suitable bearings, and it pierces the top section 29 and the inclined. bottom member 11; l:'Ihe top section 2Q terminates short of one side of the hopper to )rovide an opening' for affording accessto t le interior of the ho per. y f

JIlhe upper end of the vertical shaft carries a double spool or drum 32,' which receives the cord 27' and an elastic connection 33. The double s )ool or drum is provided with an -s centrica ly arranged pin 33, by means of. which the inner ends of the elastic band 33 and the cord 27 `are secured lto the drum or ,befemploved `As the latter construction is perfectly obvious, illustration thereof is deemed unnecessary. elastic connection 33 are' wound around the double spool or drum4 in opposite directions, so that when the upwardly extending arm of the bell cranklever is swung outwardly, it unwinds'the cord from the drum or spool and simultaneously wirds the flexible,connection around the" same. This operation stretches or places the elastic connectionvunder tension, so that the said elastic connection `will quickly rotate .the shaft, when the latter is free. toreturn` to. its initial position. The elastic connection extends through an opening 34 of the fback of the h iper and engages a k A354 of a supportin racket 36. The su portin bracket 36, W ich has its termina attac'ed'to the back of the hopper at points above ,and-below the opening 34, con'- `siste ofinclli'n'ed upper and lowerhportions rlhe cord 27 and the I and an intermediate vertical portion to which the hook 35 is secured. The shank of the l hook ierces the intermediate vertical porl tion ofJ the bracket or support 3c, and. may be l threaded to receive a nut 38, as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing, but any other suitable means may be employed for mounting the` hook on the bracket or support. IThe bracket or supportA enables an elastic connection :of sufficient length and strength to secure the desired movement ol the shaft to be employed. i y

The vertical shaft is provided with agi? tating means 39, arranged interiorly of the at a-point opposite the'discliarge opening to prevent the feed from clogging within the lhopper, and to produce a positive discharge of feed at each operation of the (.levicc. rlhe agitating` means preferably consist of horizontal arms projecting from the shaft.'u .Any number of agitating arms may be employed.

IThe lower end of the vertical shaft carriesa rotary feed scattering disk or member ett),y constructed of sheet metal, or other suit-able material, and consisting of a horizontal plate, Vprovided with radially 'arranged dia met rically Adisposed blades or flanges 41, projectingverticallv from the upper face of the disk or mer'iber 4() and extending from the shaft 2S The blades or flanges 41 .are adapted toengagc the feed, and when the disk or member 40 is ra idly rotated, they will cause the feed to be tirown outwardly and scattered over the floor or ground within'the scratching shed. The feed is thrown outward by centrifugal force incident to the rapid rotary return movement of the disk or member 40. The disk is provided with a central metallic hub portion 40h, consisting preferably` of a sleeve or collar and a horizontal flange. T he sleeve or colla-r is secured to the shaft by a pin 4l, and the flange, which extends from cured to the lowerfiuc of the disk or plate fit),

YThe -hopper is provided at its front with a deflecting chute 40, adapted to receive the,v grain from the ho )per and arranged to direct the said grain to tlie four quarters ot' the disk,

dependin' eye 42, to which is secured the upper end o a wire 43, or other suitable lexib e connection. The lower end of thel wire is attaehed to an eye 414 of the operating lever 45,V arranged horizontally and located a short distance above the .floor or ground of the hopper adjacent to the bottom thereof, and ,A

the upper end-of the sleeve is suitably se.-

, te periphery of thc plate. or membc Los so that the grain will be distributed unicrank leveris provided atits outer end with a iso scratchin shed. One end of the operatingwhich may be secured to the floor-orgijund= lever.

of the scratching shed, or which may be of suf#4 ficient Weight tofretain it in position. The ege 44 is located adjacent to"the.pivo.t 47of t e o erating lever, and.` the latterextends a consi( erable distance from the support 46, so

that the chickens in moving about' the scratching floor Will ump upon the operating Vhenla chic en jumps or steps upon the operating' lever, its-wei ht Will. cause a rotary movementof 'thesh'a t inone directionl This causes a downward movement of the cut-od and permits a quantity of feed to fall upon the rotary scattering glate or member,

As soon as the chicken,"or o er fowl stpsoff the lever,v the latter will be swun upward by the elastic connection, which W 1' pidly rotate the shaft and therebycause the rotary scattering plate or member to scatter the` feed over thefloor or ground ofthe scratching shed. A s the floor or groundl of thescratchf ing shed is designed to be covered with straw, or other littei`, it Will be necessa for the chickens toscratch for the feed an the exercise necess'a for the production of a maximum uantity of eggs Willbe afforded.

Having lfins fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters'Patent, isz- I 1.' A feeding device of, the class described comprising a feed hopper, operating mechanism for disch'ar ing a quantity of feed from phehopper, an rotary-means for scattering 2. A feeding device of the class' described com rising a feed hopper, operating mechanism or discharging a'quantity of Yfeed from` the hopper, a rotary device for scattering the feed, and means for actuatin the' rotary device for causing the feed to e thrown from the same b centrifugal force.

3. A'fee ing device of the' class described comprising a feed hopper, a rotary scattering member having means for positively engaging the feed, operating mechanism for delivering a quantit of feed to the rotary scattering member, an( means for actuating the scattering member to cause the feed to be thrown therefrom by centrifugal force.

4.' A feeding device of the class described comprising awfeed hopper, a rotary scattering member rovided with' radial flanges, operating nieclianism for delivering a 'uantity of feed to the rotary scattering inem ier, and means for actuating the scattering member te cause the feed to be thrown therefrom by centrifugal force.

5. A feeding device of the class described comprising a feed hopper having a discharge o ening, a cut-oli for controlling the disc iarge of the feed, operating mechanism for actuating the cut-off, a rotary scattering device'llocatedbelow the discharge opening, and means for communicating motion from the operating mechanism to the scattering' device.

6. A feedin device ofthe class described. comprising a eed ho p ervhav'ing a discharge o ening, 'a cut-off or controlling' the disc arge "of the feed, a scatterin device arran ed to receive the feed di'sc arged from.l

the o per, agitatin'g means operatin'gwithin the' opper, `and means for voperating the cut-off an for actuating thescattering device and the agitating means.

7. A feedin comprising a eed hopper, a cut-olf for condevice of the dass descfibed' SOv trolling the discharge of the feed, a rotary l 'scatter-in device arranged to 'receivethe feed `disc 'arged from the hopper, a rotary agitator located within thehopper and.con nected with the scatteringdevice, and mechanism for operating the cut-off and for rotating the scattering device and the agitator.`

8. A feeding device of the class described "comprising a hopper having a cut-olf for controlling the discharge of the feed from the hopper, alever mounted on the said hopper,

a llnk connecting the cut-off With'th'e lever, and. anr operating lever 'connected lith the said lever.

y'9'. 'A feeding device of the class 'described comprising a hopper having a' discharge opening, a slide for controlling the size of the dischar e opening, a cut-oifmovably mounted ont e hopper for covering and uncovering the said opening, a lever connected with the cut-0H for opening and closing the same, and an 4operating lever connected with the said lever.

10. A feeding device of the class described comprising a hopper, a slidable cut-ofi' for controlling the discharge of the feed, a lever mounted on the hopper and connected with the slidable cut-off, a support, and. an .operating lever fulcrumed on the support and connected with the said lever.

1 1. A feeding device of the class described comprising a feed hopper, a cut-olf for controlling the discharge'of the feed, a lshaft vmounted on'the ho per, a rotary scattering device carried by t e shaft and arranged to receive the feed from the hopper, a flexible connection Wound around the shaft, operating mechanism connected with the cut-off and with the flexible connection for rotating the shaft in one direction, and an elastic. connection reversely wound around the shaft for rotatingthe shaft in the opposite direc-V tion.

12. A feeding device of the class described comprising a feed hop er having a cut-off, a shaft mounted on the }l)1o pcr, a rotary scattering device carried by tie shaft, a drum or spool mounted on the shaft, a llexible connection wound around the drum or spool,

operating mechanism connected with the cama and, with the semble Connection, and a'n' elastic connection reversely wound around the spool or drum.

13. Afeeding comprising a hop mpunted on the o carried by connectedwith the flexible connection and with the cut-o3, anx o erating Alever con?. nected with the lbell cran levervand ada teil4 to rotate the shaft in ne'dir'ecti'on, sin 1an, y elastic' connection wound .arondthe shaft" for 4rotating the same'in thex opposite direc-` with 'an extension,

throurg mg A evice, a

tion,

band ,wound l around the shaft and llhrgpghythe extension and engaging device of the class described er having wout-off, a shaft per, a I,scattering device the' sha` t, a flexible connection A Woundarou'nd the shaft, a'beilcrank leverv4 p spaced 'from theextension, and an elastic 15. Aiifeeding device of the class described comprising a hopper, operating mechanism hop er, a rotary` device for scattering the fee and a chute arranged to rebeivefthe feed from the hopper for directing tHe/,same to'the rotary device: l j l 16. feeding device of the/class described com rising a ho per, loperat A' for discharging t e vrhop er, a rotary device or scattermg the fee -and a chute mounted onthe hopperand provided with an inclined portion for directing the grainto the rotarydevice.

l17. A feedingldevice of theclass described comprising a o'pe'r having 'a' discharge opening, a cut-0 for controllinlg the disc arge of the feed, o verating mec anism for o erating the cut-Q a scattering device, a s 1de mounted within the hopper for regulating the sizeof the discharge opening, and an operating rod extending to the top ofthe hopper and connected with the slide or-raising and lowering the same.

n testimony; that I claim the foregoing as -my own, I have hereto aixed my signature -in the presence of Witnesses.

" j GEORGE EMERY GIBSON. if Witnesses: E. (mmnnmm,

p J. H. Caow,

4 S. J'. SAYERs.

mechanism' quantitof eed fromthe for discharging the quantity of feed from the 

